Upper Eyelid Surgery Well Worth It and Value for Money (Age 41)

I am 41 and have just had upper eyelid surgery six...

6 Dec 2009

I am 41 and have just had upper eyelid surgery six days ago. I am very happy with the results. I chose a conservative approach as I didnt want to have more removed than had ever been the case previously. I also dont want to go back work and having people noticing it. The new eyelids are exactly as I had them previously from childhood til end of 30s. Originally I had planned to have a fringe so as to detract from the new lids but I dont even think anyone is going to notice. My husband hasnt noticed but I can see the difference.

I had one consultation with a doctor I had seen in a magazine article. I then made an appointment to have this done six months later.

Five days prior to surgery you are required to take a c-vitamin and a k-vitamin tablet every day.

You are also required not to drink any alcohol or eat anything that can thin the blood (eg Q10 or omega oils) some 14 days before surgery.

Some 30 minutes prior to surgery patients are given a pill to relax (I cant remember the name now but something like helaxion or similar) and then two paracetamol. I got a dressing gown and a bed in a room shared with another lady who had just come out of surgery for the same procedure. I was required to lie down and relax as this improves the blood pressure. When the nurse came to take me to surgery I had fallen asleep (probably that stuff in the pill) and we went into the operating theatre. Two nurses prepared for the procedure by popping some eyedrops into my eyes to prevent blinking I think. Then the doctor arrived and stated that she knew I wanted a conservative approach (which was reassuring.

She then injected some local anaesthetic into the eyelids. This just felt like a slight pinch. After that she drew on the eyelids. She probably used a laser to cut it because she said the smell I could smell was the laser. The whole thing was over and done with in 45 minutes.

I was then placed in the same room again to lie down and was given ice packs. After around 1.5 hours I was allowed to go home.

I put on some light reading glasses to cover up although it was hardly visible anyway. I took the bus and train back to the hotel and no one seemed to notice.

The next day the eyes were swollen and red and it was noticeable I had had surgery. A man asked me if I had been in a fight and I just told him it was surgery for heavy eyelid to prevent sight interference later on in life and he seemed to buy that. On this day I got a lot of stares from other people as I was traveling on the train but had chosen to travel around 2 p.m. so there werent that many people around.

The following day, the swelling had subsided, helped significantly by the ice packs. I worked a bit in the garden without doing too much strenuous activity.

The next day, I changed the plasters and all the swelling had mostly gone and the result was clear.

I had no pain throughout. I had been given paracetamol but didnt need them. They eyelid area probably is not that sensitive.

It is now 6 days after surgery and I am having the sutures removed tomorrow and the day after am going on a longer transatlantice business trip. I am confident that no one will notice as already now it looks really good.